I know some folks can’t stand them or the noises they make but those geese remind me that “Fall is on the way” as I listen to them and their calls are soothing to me. I stopped what I was doing and smiled because in that moment I could picture the woodpecker even though I couldn’t see it and that calmed and soothed me.Įven though there have been smoky mornings here in the Salt Lake City area I have continued to open my window when I get up in the morning because I like to hear the natural sounds the birds in my neighborhood make as we all start the day.Ĭanada Goose ballet on water – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural lightĪbout two weeks ago I started hearing Canada Geese calling as they fly by before the sun has risen. The call I heard was from a Downy Woodpecker. Then I heard a bird call and almost immediately I could feel myself relax. It was cool morning and I had opened my living room window to let the air inside. I hadn’t planned on going out into the field because that post took me quite a while to write but I felt as if I needed to be out in nature to rejuvenate my dampened spirits. The Hairy prefers towering trees and deeper woods, while the Downy will settle for baby birches and cattails.Male Downy Woodpecker – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f7.1, 1/320, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural lightĪfter I finished writing my post yesterday about the unnecessary killing of Bob the Sandhill Crane near a campground in Heber, Utah I felt on edge and as if I had been singed by a fire of man’s creation. Lastly, it’s important to note that the Downy Woodpecker is much more abundant than its Hairy counterpart, especially in suburbia. Also, the male Hairy’s red patch is often split in two, while the Downy’s is not. More subtle clues include the Hairy’s all-white outer tail feathers, compared to the Downy’s spotted ones. Over time the size will become more familiar to you, and you won’t need to lean on the surrounding visuals. But at a distance of 40 feet or more, the difference in length becomes less obvious.Īs your woodpecker moves around, you’ll be able to judge its size in relation to other objects (leaves, branches, etc.). Up close, the two are easy to tell apart, even though they’re the same basic shape and color. Imagine if someone were holding up a silver teaspoon and a silver tablespoon. You could glue rulers to every tree and feeder in sight, or you could remember that a Downy is about the size of a House Sparrow, while the Hairy is about the size of a robin.ĭon’t worry, it gets easier with practice. Spying this three-inch difference across a meadow or a yard can be hard at first. The Downy is a little over six inches tall, while the Hairy is almost 50 percent taller. ![]() If the bill is not in view-the bird is usually facing a tree, after all-move on to what is perhaps the best clue: overall size. ![]() The Hairy’s bill is a railroad spike in comparison, and almost as long as the its head. The Downy’s bill is dainty and about one-third the length of the bird’s head. Though they’re very similar, there are some key differences to look out for.įirst, check for the major difference in bill size. It’s easy to find these woodpeckers out in the woods (just like you find shorebirds on the shore), but an early identification challenge for new birders is distinguishing between these two common species. ![]() What’s black and white and red all over? Both Hairy and the Downy Woodpeckers, unfortunately.
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